I’d held out hope, but deep down I’d never really believed I’d get out alive, especially not with assistance from one of the Laurent family.
“Fingers crossed,” Freddy said. “Stay back there. If I start banging on the window, dig in under the trash.”
“Where are we going?-“
Freddy slid the small metal window shut again, leaving me in the putrid trash heap. Elation and the exhilaration of freedom overcame me. If things worked out, I might really get out of this alive. Not only that, but I’d have Elle in my arms again.
AURELIUS
The truck rumbled along the road. At one point, it hit a pothole, and thick liquid oozed from a bag onto my feet.
“Ugh,” I muttered, revulsion filling me as the mystery liquid seeped into the rear of my underwear
Other than that, things did appear to be going well. Freddy had yet to bang on the window, and I had to assume we were making good time to wherever we were heading. Freddy hadn’t told me anything, which meant I was literally flying blind.
My heart lurched as the truck slowed, and three quick bangs rapped on the window.
“We’re here,” Freddy called.
“Here? Where?”
“Shhh.”
Freddy slid the small window open. “Hide.”
Through the windshield, I saw lights and a large building surrounded by barbed wire.
“Where the fuck are we?” I hissed as I burrowed into the trash bags.
“Laurent Waste Facility,” he said. “It’s one of the family businesses. Basically, a for-profit facility to process sewage and waste water, It also has a recycling center and a rubbish dump. Now hush.”
Freddy put a hat on and pulled it low over his face, then shut the window again. Not surprising. I doubted one of the members of the noble Laurent family would be doing a trash run in the middle of the night.
My enhanced senses had come almost all the way back, and I strained to hear the conversation happening up front.
“How are we doing this evening?”
“All good. Just making a late run,” the truck driver said.
“Little late, isn’t it?”
“Well, when Bastien Laurent tells you to do something, you do it. Am I right?” the driver said with a chuckle.
“Yeah, he’s a ball buster, that’s for sure,” the guard said.
“So, uh, where’s Dan? He was supposed to be on duty tonight,” the driver said. “I actually told him we’d be by.”
“Called out sick at the last minute. I’m covering. Damn, who all you got in here? A three-man crew to dump some trash. That’s a little much, isn’t it?”
I held my breath, waiting to see how they’d explain that.
“Nah, making a detour after this. Hitting the bar in town. Hoping to find us a few pretty ladies. Figured it made more sense to do it all in one trip.”
The guard snorted. “Sure thing. Good luck with that when you’re stinking like shit, but whatever floats your boat. Head on in. Where are you heading to? Recycling or the dump?”
“Little of both,” the driver said.
“Sounds good. I’ll open the gate. Hang on a sec.”
I let out a relieved sigh as I heard the electric rattle and hum of a gate being drawn back echoed from outside the truck. A few seconds later, the truck moved forward. Freddy waited a couple seconds before opening the window again.
“Did that guy recognize you, Freddy?” the driver asked.
Freddy glanced over and shrugged. “I fucking hope not.”
“He was eyeballing you pretty hard,” the third man said. “Almost like he wanted to ask you something. I really think he might have realized who you were.”
“Fuck it,” Freddy hissed. “If he did, it’s too late to change it. All it means is that we have to hurry.” He turned back to address me. “We’re all good for now. We gotta get to the far end of the facility. We came out late last night and hid a couple of the trucks at the farthest edge of the property.”
“Trucks? Can’t I shift and fly? Iam a dragon.”
Freddy shook his head. “I’m sure you’re feeling better, but I doubt you’ll be able to fully shift for a while. Especially not after that stuff Bastien pumped into your veins. We’ll get into the trucks, drive out the back gate, and split up from there.”
I closed my eyes and reached out to my dragon, checking to see if what Freddy said was true. My beast latched onto my consciousness. We had a mutual desire to shift, but I struggled to access that magical part of my soul. It was muted somehow, like when you’d sat on your hand until it was numb, then tried to pick up a cup. The mind was willing, but the body was stumbling along, unable to oblige.
Freddy hadn’t lied about the farthest edge of the facility. The truck rumbled along for what felt like an eternity before it finally rolled to a stop. I heard the truck doors slam, and a few seconds later, the back hatch and tailgate opened.
“Come on,” Freddy said, waving to me. “Get out of there.”
“You don’t have to tell me twice.” I leaped down from the rear of the truck.
I took a deep breath, relishing the crisp, clean air that filled my lungs. After the rancid trash, it was the sweetest scent I’d ever breathed. That lasted all of three seconds before one of the healers stepped forward and spritzed me with something from a spray bottle.
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